Exploring the cathartic nature of hakidashisara—a Japanese festival where frustrations are written on plates and smashed—reveals a powerful technique for managing anger.
Imagine having a foolproof method to prevent yourself from losing control the next time anger flares up—a secret tool to crush anger before it consumes you?
According to Japanese researchers, this secret weapon could be as simple as pen and paper.
The Study Findings
Research findings published in Scientific Reports have built on previous studies exploring how the act of writing and physical interactions can impact mood.
The researchers deliberately provoked their subjects to evoke anger.
Mr. Kawai and graduate student Yuta Kanaya from the Graduate School of Informatics at Nagoya University asked participants to express their views on social issues, like whether smoking should be allowed in public schools. These responses were then harshly evaluated by doctoral students from Nagoya University who were instructed to score them poorly on various criteria, regardless of the content. To add insult to injury, the evaluators left disparaging comments on each response. Ouch.
- Keep it on their desk.
- Place it in a plastic box.
- Dispose of it.
- Shred it.
Following the exercise, the participants rated their anger levels after the insult and after either keeping or discarding the paper.
While all participants were understandably upset after the negative feedback, those who disposed of their papers either by discarding or shredding them, returned to their baseline emotional state. In contrast, those who held onto their papers only experienced a slight reduction in anger.
Insights from the Study
The implications of these findings are significant, as uncontrolled anger can have detrimental effects on various aspects of our lives.
For instance, consider a frustrating encounter at work. Instead of letting anger escalate, you could excuse yourself, write down your feelings on a post-it note, and tear it up to help regain composure.
The possibilities are endless.
These findings also shed light on the Japanese tradition of hakidashisara—an annual festival where people write their frustrations on plates and smash them at the Hiyoshi shrine in Kiyosu. This act reportedly provides a sense of relief.
Final Thoughts
While practices like meditation and talk therapy can help process emotions in the long term, this study offers a simple, science-backed strategy for managing anger on the spot—before it spirals out of control.
Next time you feel frustrated at work, online comments, or while watching the news, have pen and paper handy—you never know when they might come in handy.
